Looking around the web and various forums a couple of weeks ago, it was nearly impossible for me to find out what the latest navigation and PCM version update was for a PCM 3.0 system. I recently traded up from a 2006 to a 2009 Carrera S with PCM 3.0 and got the dealer to include the latest Nav/PCM update as part of the deal. Here is the info on that update if you are interested in knowing.

The part number for upgrading the PCM 3.0 software and North America nav maps in a 997 is 997.044.906.61. It seems that each year the third set of digits gets incremented each year, so while the 2014 maps are 997.044.906.61, the 2013 maps are 997.044.905.61, the 2012 maps are 997.044.904.61, etc. Map numbers for other models and locations (Cayenne, etc.) seem to follow a similar pattern with some of the other digits being different.

This update brought my PCM unit up to version 2.24. I'm attaching photos of a couple of the version info screens. You can find these by pressing the Source and Info buttons at the same time. Note that if your PCM reports simply "V" for the version number, it is still at version 1.0 (mine was this way).

Normally the update disc appears to cost $299 plus the charge for the dealer to install it, which I gather can be expensive. Note that the update disc(s) contains both the PCM and the Nav map update. I think they started coming together in 997.2s, before that they were separate. Remember that PCM 3.0 units do not use a navigation DVD in the car, the data is stored on a hard drive in the PCM unit.

On the attached photos, the first screen shows the PCM version number. The second screen shows the last of several pages of update history and version numbers. The part that appears the be the Nav Map version is a bit baffling since it has PCM3.1 as part of the text, NA which I guess is North America, and several other numbers I have no good guess for.

One last note. When you get a PCM update you lose all of your previous settings, destinations, bluetooth bindings, etc. Be prepared to enter all of this again. It's not too big a deal if you capture everything you want to keep before getting the update.

[1/13/14 - Added a correction to the part numbers for the various years in lines above. I actually got the 2014 maps according to the Tequipment site and it seems the updates are good for both PCM 3.0 and 3.1 system. See the Tequipment site at http://content.eu.porsche.com/prod/p...rm&country=usa, go to the Audio & Communication section, then go to the Navigation Update section.]

 

My dealer told me No Discs.
His Porsche laptop connection to the PCM?
You got discs?

 

The dealer had to order the discs containing the update. They use these to update the PCM firmware, software, and nav data on the hard drive in the PCM unit. They do not give us the discs, we just get the updates they contain. The dealer keeps the discs.

This seems to agree with what your dealer told you.

 

Any new PCM features in the update besides new maps? Hoping for the A2DP bluetooth functionality cruelly teased in the manual but nowhere to be found.

 

As I plowed through the menus and options there are a few things with tweaks but I think the only major thing is updated maps. I did specifically go look for the A2DP streaming as soon as I picked up the car, I really hoped that was there too, but regrettably it was not to be found. I'm guessing it is a limitation of the Bluetooth hardware they used, my wife's 2012 Buick has the same problem and that was the answer there.

I know the 1.4 update included the following bug fixes, grabbed from another post elsewhere:

Here are the "bugs" which are addressed in 1.4:

• "INFO" and "MAP" buttons do not function if "INFO" or "MAP" is used to leave an open route list.
• Incorrect display of remaining range when in "miles".
• FM audio is muted until source is changed to AM.
• When a saved preset station is selected, the wrong station is displayed.
• In "ASIA" coding, RDS does not function.
• Intermittent loss of XM radio.
• Display does not match with the selected source.
• iPhone: Audio playback does not restart after phone call.
• USB device not available until system restart.
• Only USA: Maps set to European styling (wrong highway colors, POI icons, etc.)
• Temporary disappearance of TMC (traffic) messages during a drive cycle.
• For Voice Control, the "closest gas stations" command results in a list of the closest hotels.
• Bluetooth disconnection with Nokia mobile phones.
• The first activation of any function of the steering column switches (i.e. turn signal) ends a current telephone call.
• The opposite party cannot be heard in the vehicle if a phone call is made immediately after system start-up.
• Pairing or connection with a mobile phone via Bluetooth is no longer possible, although it had previously functioned.

I assume more bugs are fixed by 2.24 but I can't find a list.

Sitting down in the car and comparing against the manual as best I could, here are most of the current differences from the original (although I can't tell in which version they were changed):

• The DRL setting is gone, DRLs appear to always be on now
• A lot of terminology has been made more American-friendly, a few examples are:
  Maneuvers is now Directions
  Regional Settings is now Language and Units
  Town is now City
  Orientation Light is now Ambient Light
  And the oddest one: 3D Map is now a Birds-Eye-View option (and the logic is reversed)
  
• SDV (Speed Dependent Volume) option no longer exists, only AudioPilot remains
• There may be a new Channel List option in Satellite, but I don't have XM service to fully understand this
• A new option in Sport Display logging to record Additional Data (GPS position, speed, etc.) in track recordings
• There are new settings for Call and Mic volumes for handsfree operation
• There is a new Device Details option for Bluetooth that shows device information including supported protocols and their versions (no A2DP though)
• There is a new setting as to whether the PCM is visible to Bluetooth devices
• I think the Map Display options that show up on the Map display are new. Just under the north orientation symbol, there is a symbol that when touched drops down another list of icons that affect the map display. See attached photos.
• There is a new option to display Arrival Time vs Time Remaining for navigation under Nav options
• The Footprints option is now gone under Map options

Please let me know if you know of any others or any incorrectness in this list and I'll try to update it.

 

Just for the record, I've edited the original post to correct the year numbers. It turns out that the maps I got installed are listed as the 2014 maps on the Tequipment site. See the link I've added at the bottom of the original post if you are interested.

 

Cool that the map now has the drop down to allow you to not leave the map to do some things map related (from what I can guess at what some of those options do):
1) 3D(birdseye) off/on
2) traffic data off/on
3)time to destination off/on (toggle arrival time vs time to destination?)
4) ? not sure what that might be?
5) zoom to include the destination (vs track location with fixed radius view)?

I hope that the loss of some of the settings doesn't mean the new system loosest the abilities, but just realized that many were just set to "on" for almost everyone. (IE I hope they don't now default to off/gone)

I like and use the speed dependent volume solution on my base audio (non bose) system.
Footprints... didn't use it.. never liked it.

Many of the improvements are from earlier PCM3 software updates, so that must be the complete list that covers everything done since v 1.0 (or version v. <blank> as its displayed).

What I'd love to see is what map data was added; I guess I'll have to sit in a car in the dealer and see what the 2014 map data includes to see if its worth it.

I am curious about the A2DP profile not being supported. That this is limited by hardware is highly unlikely. Its a software protocol that works over the bluetooth hardware(radio link). The bluetooth radio provides the TCP/IP packet service, as it were, while the profiles provide the application/services. So adding A2DP is a matter of supporting the protocol - a firmware upgrade. But it may be that the bluetooth's system firmware cannot be updated via the PCM firmware update.. but is firmware on a separate card/module. Or, in typical Porsche fashion they did buy a bluetooth chipset so limited it did just what they needed for what they were selling, and may not have the bandwidth to do dual channel stereo audio but only telephony grade mono audio. Then it would be hardware.

 

Hey.. thanks for this post.. It helped a lot with searching for an update for my 2009 Cayenne S PCM 3.0 Nav. Currently at v1.47. I bought the following using the part number from Tequipment site.. http://www.localpartsshop.com/oem-pa...bC12OC1nYXM%3D

Crossing fingers it gets me to the latest update w maps..

 

hey sup44. Do you have any update on your map/pcm version update? Looking to do the same. Thanks!

 

Mydealer said he could not do it (Paul Miller in Parsippany) so I ended up cancelling the order and living with it as is.... cant find a dealer willing to spend the time to update it and supposedly that the only way It can be done...